We need to consider how God forgives. He has a posture of forgiveness towards everyone. He will forgive in practice any person no matter what they’ve done. And that forgiveness comes when we unite to Him through Christ, by grace and through faith (of which repentance is just the other side of the coin). Posture. Practice.

I have learned through experience that spending time with God is one of the few things that is lastingly helpful. Though at times it feels like it is doing more harm than good, I’ve found that keeping on in this discipline is ultimately life-giving. There is no other fountain which can provide lasting help.

“You sit over there in that holler, and I’ll try to run a deer over to ya.”

“The what?!?”

“The holler. Over yonder.”

Some of our readers are visualizing a place out in the woods, the low place where if one where standing you’d see bluffs all around you, probably a river valley of sorts where a creek either once ran or occasionally still runs during a particularly rainy season. It’s kind of difficult to explain a holler to someone who doesn’t speak the language that uses phrases like “the holler.” But I know exactly what a holler is and I know what it’d mean for someone to run a deer to me — and also that it’d probably not be the best to be positioned in a holler in order to shoot a deer. But I also don’t deer hunt — I just happened to grow up around many people who did.

Some of our readers are clueless as to what a holler is and haven’t come much further in their understanding by my words. Truth is, you’d probably need me to point my finger at the holler. You’d need to be immersed in that world because there are some things that just don’t translate well.

As I write this, I’m knee deep in the Hebrew language — taking an Advanced Hebrew course. That doesn’t mean I’m good at Hebrew. Far from it. I am still finding it difficult to master the language. It’s a beautiful language, but one that I’m having a difficult time comprehending. But I am finding there is a richness to some of the words that I don’t always pick up just reading in English. To borrow the words of Princess Jasmine, it’s a whole new world. That world can be very confusing, and it can be rewarding.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/asafta

Micah 6:8 tells us that the thing God wants is not strict religious adherence or empty piety, it is for us to "walk humbly" with the Lord. That's easy to read, harder to put into practice. Let's look at exactly what it means to walk humbly with our God.

Was paradise the place where Old Testament saints went when they died but after the resurrection when people die, they go to heaven? Is paradise a different place than heaven? Yes. And no.

Being a Christian means that you trust in Jesus to save you. You trust fully in His completed work on the cross, placing all of your hope in His life, death, burial, and resurrection. That means that being a Christian isn’t about trying to be a good person. And it’s not about trying to earn your way to heaven through your good works.

Like Joseph’s coat of many colors, the Bible is filled with an array of colors. From the red clay from which humanity was created to the white robes of Revelation — the Scriptures employ the colors of the rainbow in their various shades. But is there any significance to these colors?

It’s wise to be cautious when attempting to determine meaning here — especially meaning which might be hidden. Yet, we can see various color themes that hold symbolic or poetic meaning. As we look at the many examples of color used in Scripture, a few patterns emerge. Even today Christians use colors within the liturgical calendar.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Jess Bailey

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 46-day period of fasting and self-denial before Easter Sunday. If you participate in Ash Wednesday here are 5 prayers to guide you.

If you’re a pastor or leader and your congregation celebrates Lent, here are a few ideas for things you can give up for the Lenten season.

Beginning your day with prayer sets a positive tone, helping you stay grounded physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Even a small investment in morning prayer can make a big difference in your overall well-being. Here are a few prayers to guide you.

No matter our preferences or cultural expectations, as Christians we must seek out biblical truths. When we define a marriage according to biblical standards, it becomes something that builds our faith, edifies our relationships, and increases our joy.

Effective discipleship meets people where they are. And these days, people are meeting up and building relationships online. These four tips and tricks can help you engage with people spiritually, even in an online space.

Halloween is now a diverse celebration with a wide range of traditions and interpretations. It might be a day of harmless fun, a time to express creativity, and to engage the community. It might provide opportunities to talk about Christ the Victor and the devil as a defeated enemy. And for others, the association with the supernatural and the macabre may raise these concerns about potentially glorifying evil.